Went to track....car's faster...
10-29-2017, 04:00 PM
#1
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Went to track....car's faster...
But NOT Quicker!!!!
9.18@161.27 MPH
I took the 'Vette down to a great little track in Lufkin TX yesterday...Pine Valley Raceway. It's about 240 miles one way from my house....but not a bad drive.
The weather was about as perfect as can be. Mid 50's, low humidity , high pressure and nice sunshine. Great day for racing!
To try and build a little boost at the line (think Street Outlaws popping and banging) I added a "two step" button that allows me to use some more of the Holley EFI parameters and pick a second rev limiter to retard timing and do whatever I want with fuel while it's depressed. It's called "Boost Builder". The idea is to retard timing and build some heat in the turbo's to get them spooling a little quicker off the line. Guys with automatics do it easily and load against the converter...sticks make it a little trickier. But it worked well and I could hit 7 PSI in just a second or so while sitting still. Makes lots of noise though! I decided to try it at 3800 RPM and only 2 PSI of boost.
I also backed off my adjustable clutch to make it softer out of the hole to limit wheelies and tire spin. This is the lowest I've ever run it.
So the first run I try that. I was the 3rd car down the track...so not much rubber on the track. Instant tire smoke.....grabbed second early and went into "John Force style" smoke show into 3rd gear and lifted and coasted through. I drove back around and went right back into line to try again. Had time to sit there for awhile before next attempt.
I get called up and go through the burnout and pull to the line. All of a sudden my hydraulic clutch decides it doesn't want to work and won't release the clutch...it's engaging while the pedal is on the floor. It's happened twice before when I let it heat soak and sit after stop and go traffic stuff. After it cools a little it goes right back to working fine. Seems the fluid boils in the master cylinder which is pretty close to the left side turbo or the plastic master cylinder expands enough to bypass which seems more likely than boiling the fluid when the plastic doesn't appear damaged. Even though the turbo is wrapped and the lines to the clutch are wrapped...it apparently can still get toasty enough to boil fluid. They don't recommend DOT5 for it due to seal materials...but I'll move up to DOT4/5.1 maybe and add some more insulation to clutch master cylinder. After the little boost building excursion and a partial run then letting it sit there with hood closed..it got too toasty. On the upgrade list...but either way the run was wasted.
I let it cool down and pulled back around to run it "old style" without trying to build more boost. I launched about 3500 and it came out fair...but still not good since I'm having to come out so softly as compared to the N/A days when I launched at 5000-5500 RPM usually. I guess I'm really going to have to work on power management where I pull just a little timing off the line to kill power and can bring RPM higher and ramp it back in quickly. But anyway....it ran a 9.18*161+ MPH which is new best MPH. 1/8th mile MPH picked up to 125+..so it definitely seemed to like the cooler weather! About 7950 RPM in the lights now.....
Next run....I'm counting on the fact there's some rubber laid down now. I launch similarly and it picks up about a tenth and a half in the '60' which is fantastic.....down track banging gears and I hear it "pop" a couple of times...once at the top of second and then again in 3rd. I lifted and rolled through.
Back in the pits I look everything over....nothing looks out of whack. So I head back up again....similar launch...but a LOT more popping.
Back in pits...pulled valve covers to make sure all was good and it was. I wanted to eliminate mechanical issues first.
Then I looked at data logs and noticed some goofy fuel pressure issues. I turned the key on and operated my two pumps separately and one of them sounds like it's eating rocks and vibrating! Soooooo....dead pump!
Well....I got one real pass in....and ran a faster MPH. This whole excursion is definitely not about a HP issue...we've got power! I've taken it to the dragstrip 4 times now this year and it keeps getting faster...just not quicker yet. I've got stacks of timeslips between 9.10 and 9.30 with MPH from 158 to now 161. We'll get there eventually. Got another track rental on Dec 3rd.
Maybe I ought to just take up 'Roll Racing"!
It was fun to "out MPH" a lot of tube chassis/big slick nitrous guys. Folks kept coming around to stare at it. At one point one of the track owners came up on his golf cart and said..."You know you're making everyone jealous don't you?" LOL!!
JIM
PS- Not that I'm a pure attention *****...but there's a Poll going in the C2 section for the "C2 of the Month". Just sayin'.......
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-2017-a.html
9.18@161.27 MPH
I took the 'Vette down to a great little track in Lufkin TX yesterday...Pine Valley Raceway. It's about 240 miles one way from my house....but not a bad drive.
The weather was about as perfect as can be. Mid 50's, low humidity , high pressure and nice sunshine. Great day for racing!
To try and build a little boost at the line (think Street Outlaws popping and banging) I added a "two step" button that allows me to use some more of the Holley EFI parameters and pick a second rev limiter to retard timing and do whatever I want with fuel while it's depressed. It's called "Boost Builder". The idea is to retard timing and build some heat in the turbo's to get them spooling a little quicker off the line. Guys with automatics do it easily and load against the converter...sticks make it a little trickier. But it worked well and I could hit 7 PSI in just a second or so while sitting still. Makes lots of noise though! I decided to try it at 3800 RPM and only 2 PSI of boost.
I also backed off my adjustable clutch to make it softer out of the hole to limit wheelies and tire spin. This is the lowest I've ever run it.
So the first run I try that. I was the 3rd car down the track...so not much rubber on the track. Instant tire smoke.....grabbed second early and went into "John Force style" smoke show into 3rd gear and lifted and coasted through. I drove back around and went right back into line to try again. Had time to sit there for awhile before next attempt.
I get called up and go through the burnout and pull to the line. All of a sudden my hydraulic clutch decides it doesn't want to work and won't release the clutch...it's engaging while the pedal is on the floor. It's happened twice before when I let it heat soak and sit after stop and go traffic stuff. After it cools a little it goes right back to working fine. Seems the fluid boils in the master cylinder which is pretty close to the left side turbo or the plastic master cylinder expands enough to bypass which seems more likely than boiling the fluid when the plastic doesn't appear damaged. Even though the turbo is wrapped and the lines to the clutch are wrapped...it apparently can still get toasty enough to boil fluid. They don't recommend DOT5 for it due to seal materials...but I'll move up to DOT4/5.1 maybe and add some more insulation to clutch master cylinder. After the little boost building excursion and a partial run then letting it sit there with hood closed..it got too toasty. On the upgrade list...but either way the run was wasted.
I let it cool down and pulled back around to run it "old style" without trying to build more boost. I launched about 3500 and it came out fair...but still not good since I'm having to come out so softly as compared to the N/A days when I launched at 5000-5500 RPM usually. I guess I'm really going to have to work on power management where I pull just a little timing off the line to kill power and can bring RPM higher and ramp it back in quickly. But anyway....it ran a 9.18*161+ MPH which is new best MPH. 1/8th mile MPH picked up to 125+..so it definitely seemed to like the cooler weather! About 7950 RPM in the lights now.....
Next run....I'm counting on the fact there's some rubber laid down now. I launch similarly and it picks up about a tenth and a half in the '60' which is fantastic.....down track banging gears and I hear it "pop" a couple of times...once at the top of second and then again in 3rd. I lifted and rolled through.
Back in the pits I look everything over....nothing looks out of whack. So I head back up again....similar launch...but a LOT more popping.
Back in pits...pulled valve covers to make sure all was good and it was. I wanted to eliminate mechanical issues first.
Then I looked at data logs and noticed some goofy fuel pressure issues. I turned the key on and operated my two pumps separately and one of them sounds like it's eating rocks and vibrating! Soooooo....dead pump!
Well....I got one real pass in....and ran a faster MPH. This whole excursion is definitely not about a HP issue...we've got power! I've taken it to the dragstrip 4 times now this year and it keeps getting faster...just not quicker yet. I've got stacks of timeslips between 9.10 and 9.30 with MPH from 158 to now 161. We'll get there eventually. Got another track rental on Dec 3rd.
Maybe I ought to just take up 'Roll Racing"!
It was fun to "out MPH" a lot of tube chassis/big slick nitrous guys. Folks kept coming around to stare at it. At one point one of the track owners came up on his golf cart and said..."You know you're making everyone jealous don't you?" LOL!!
JIM
PS- Not that I'm a pure attention *****...but there's a Poll going in the C2 section for the "C2 of the Month". Just sayin'.......
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-2017-a.html
Last edited by 427Hotrod; 10-29-2017 at 04:26 PM.
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10-29-2017, 04:04 PM
#2
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Running low 9's with a street driven car with a FOUR SPEED? Amazing and impressive. Always enjoy your posts, weather they're drag race or top speed related!
10-29-2017, 06:28 PM
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Wow.
10-29-2017, 06:34 PM
#4
Melting Slicks
But NOT Quicker!!!!
9.18@161.27 MPH
I took the 'Vette down to a great little track in Lufkin TX yesterday...Pine Valley Raceway. It's about 240 miles one way from my house....but not a bad drive.
The weather was about as perfect as can be. Mid 50's, low humidity , high pressure and nice sunshine. Great day for racing!
To try and build a little boost at the line (think Street Outlaws popping and banging) I added a "two step" button that allows me to use some more of the Holley EFI parameters and pick a second rev limiter to retard timing and do whatever I want with fuel while it's depressed. It's called "Boost Builder". The idea is to retard timing and build some heat in the turbo's to get them spooling a little quicker off the line. Guys with automatics do it easily and load against the converter...sticks make it a little trickier. But it worked well and I could hit 7 PSI in just a second or so while sitting still. Makes lots of noise though! I decided to try it at 3800 RPM and only 2 PSI of boost.
I also backed off my adjustable clutch to make it softer out of the hole to limit wheelies and tire spin. This is the lowest I've ever run it.
So the first run I try that. I was the 3rd car down the track...so not much rubber on the track. Instant tire smoke.....grabbed second early and went into "John Force style" smoke show into 3rd gear and lifted and coasted through. I drove back around and went right back into line to try again. Had time to sit there for awhile before next attempt.
I get called up and go through the burnout and pull to the line. All of a sudden my hydraulic clutch decides it doesn't want to work and won't release the clutch...it's engaging while the pedal is on the floor. It's happened twice before when I let it heat soak and sit after stop and go traffic stuff. After it cools a little it goes right back to working fine. Seems the fluid boils in the master cylinder which is pretty close to the left side turbo or the plastic master cylinder expands enough to bypass which seems more likely than boiling the fluid when the plastic doesn't appear damaged. Even though the turbo is wrapped and the lines to the clutch are wrapped...it apparently can still get toasty enough to boil fluid. They don't recommend DOT5 for it due to seal materials...but I'll move up to DOT4/5.1 maybe and add some more insulation to clutch master cylinder. After the little boost building excursion and a partial run then letting it sit there with hood closed..it got too toasty. On the upgrade list...but either way the run was wasted.
I let it cool down and pulled back around to run it "old style" without trying to build more boost. I launched about 3500 and it came out fair...but still not good since I'm having to come out so softly as compared to the N/A days when I launched at 5000-5500 RPM usually. I guess I'm really going to have to work on power management where I pull just a little timing off the line to kill power and can bring RPM higher and ramp it back in quickly. But anyway....it ran a 9.18*161+ MPH which is new best MPH. 1/8th mile MPH picked up to 125+..so it definitely seemed to like the cooler weather! About 7950 RPM in the lights now.....
Next run....I'm counting on the fact there's some rubber laid down now. I launch similarly and it picks up about a tenth and a half in the '60' which is fantastic.....down track banging gears and I hear it "pop" a couple of times...once at the top of second and then again in 3rd. I lifted and rolled through.
Back in the pits I look everything over....nothing looks out of whack. So I head back up again....similar launch...but a LOT more popping.
Back in pits...pulled valve covers to make sure all was good and it was. I wanted to eliminate mechanical issues first.
Then I looked at data logs and noticed some goofy fuel pressure issues. I turned the key on and operated my two pumps separately and one of them sounds like it's eating rocks and vibrating! Soooooo....dead pump!
Well....I got one real pass in....and ran a faster MPH. This whole excursion is definitely not about a HP issue...we've got power! I've taken it to the dragstrip 4 times now this year and it keeps getting faster...just not quicker yet. I've got stacks of timeslips between 9.10 and 9.30 with MPH from 158 to now 161. We'll get there eventually. Got another track rental on Dec 3rd.
Maybe I ought to just take up 'Roll Racing"!
It was fun to "out MPH" a lot of tube chassis/big slick nitrous guys. Folks kept coming around to stare at it. At one point one of the track owners came up on his golf cart and said..."You know you're making everyone jealous don't you?" LOL!!
JIM
PS- Not that I'm a pure attention *****...but there's a Poll going in the C2 section for the "C2 of the Month". Just sayin'.......
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-2017-a.html
9.18@161.27 MPH
I took the 'Vette down to a great little track in Lufkin TX yesterday...Pine Valley Raceway. It's about 240 miles one way from my house....but not a bad drive.
The weather was about as perfect as can be. Mid 50's, low humidity , high pressure and nice sunshine. Great day for racing!
To try and build a little boost at the line (think Street Outlaws popping and banging) I added a "two step" button that allows me to use some more of the Holley EFI parameters and pick a second rev limiter to retard timing and do whatever I want with fuel while it's depressed. It's called "Boost Builder". The idea is to retard timing and build some heat in the turbo's to get them spooling a little quicker off the line. Guys with automatics do it easily and load against the converter...sticks make it a little trickier. But it worked well and I could hit 7 PSI in just a second or so while sitting still. Makes lots of noise though! I decided to try it at 3800 RPM and only 2 PSI of boost.
I also backed off my adjustable clutch to make it softer out of the hole to limit wheelies and tire spin. This is the lowest I've ever run it.
So the first run I try that. I was the 3rd car down the track...so not much rubber on the track. Instant tire smoke.....grabbed second early and went into "John Force style" smoke show into 3rd gear and lifted and coasted through. I drove back around and went right back into line to try again. Had time to sit there for awhile before next attempt.
I get called up and go through the burnout and pull to the line. All of a sudden my hydraulic clutch decides it doesn't want to work and won't release the clutch...it's engaging while the pedal is on the floor. It's happened twice before when I let it heat soak and sit after stop and go traffic stuff. After it cools a little it goes right back to working fine. Seems the fluid boils in the master cylinder which is pretty close to the left side turbo or the plastic master cylinder expands enough to bypass which seems more likely than boiling the fluid when the plastic doesn't appear damaged. Even though the turbo is wrapped and the lines to the clutch are wrapped...it apparently can still get toasty enough to boil fluid. They don't recommend DOT5 for it due to seal materials...but I'll move up to DOT4/5.1 maybe and add some more insulation to clutch master cylinder. After the little boost building excursion and a partial run then letting it sit there with hood closed..it got too toasty. On the upgrade list...but either way the run was wasted.
I let it cool down and pulled back around to run it "old style" without trying to build more boost. I launched about 3500 and it came out fair...but still not good since I'm having to come out so softly as compared to the N/A days when I launched at 5000-5500 RPM usually. I guess I'm really going to have to work on power management where I pull just a little timing off the line to kill power and can bring RPM higher and ramp it back in quickly. But anyway....it ran a 9.18*161+ MPH which is new best MPH. 1/8th mile MPH picked up to 125+..so it definitely seemed to like the cooler weather! About 7950 RPM in the lights now.....
Next run....I'm counting on the fact there's some rubber laid down now. I launch similarly and it picks up about a tenth and a half in the '60' which is fantastic.....down track banging gears and I hear it "pop" a couple of times...once at the top of second and then again in 3rd. I lifted and rolled through.
Back in the pits I look everything over....nothing looks out of whack. So I head back up again....similar launch...but a LOT more popping.
Back in pits...pulled valve covers to make sure all was good and it was. I wanted to eliminate mechanical issues first.
Then I looked at data logs and noticed some goofy fuel pressure issues. I turned the key on and operated my two pumps separately and one of them sounds like it's eating rocks and vibrating! Soooooo....dead pump!
Well....I got one real pass in....and ran a faster MPH. This whole excursion is definitely not about a HP issue...we've got power! I've taken it to the dragstrip 4 times now this year and it keeps getting faster...just not quicker yet. I've got stacks of timeslips between 9.10 and 9.30 with MPH from 158 to now 161. We'll get there eventually. Got another track rental on Dec 3rd.
Maybe I ought to just take up 'Roll Racing"!
It was fun to "out MPH" a lot of tube chassis/big slick nitrous guys. Folks kept coming around to stare at it. At one point one of the track owners came up on his golf cart and said..."You know you're making everyone jealous don't you?" LOL!!
JIM
PS- Not that I'm a pure attention *****...but there's a Poll going in the C2 section for the "C2 of the Month". Just sayin'.......
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-2017-a.html
10-29-2017, 06:40 PM
#5
Race Director
I would guess you are showing your tail to a few of those Hellcats and Demons with times and mph like that. Hope you get everything straightened out.
10-30-2017, 01:16 PM
#8
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St. Jude Donor 03-'04-'05-'06-'07-'08-'09-10-'11-'12-'13-'14-'15-'16-'17-'18-'19-'20-'21-'22-'23-'24
Great post. Thanks! 
10-30-2017, 04:42 PM
#9
Melting Slicks<br><img src="/forums/images/ranks/3k-4k.gif" border="0">
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Love reading your posts! You got my vote
Last edited by warrenmj; 10-30-2017 at 06:45 PM. Reason: Correct typo
10-31-2017, 05:47 PM
#12
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Make sure to vote early and often (just kidding!)
https://www.corvetteforum.com/forums...or-2017-a.html
JIM
10-31-2017, 08:54 PM
#14
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No sir....just stainless ones.
I got your message the other day....I was off in the middle of New England on vacation (had dinner with Mark and his wife a couple of times). I owe you a call!
JIM
11-02-2017, 04:53 PM
#17
Safety Car
Just amazing! Glad you figured out the fuel pump problem - it could've been ugly in a hurry. You did one heckuva job on the rotating assembly in your motor. Running lean under boost grenades less well built engines.
You'll find that 1/2 second somewhere. 160+ mph at the traps is definitely 8-second power.
You'll find that 1/2 second somewhere. 160+ mph at the traps is definitely 8-second power.
11-02-2017, 10:49 PM
#19
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I don't want to jinx it by talking good about it!!!
It's nothing that special really. I've had the engine for 17 years now and it's been spinning 7500-8000+ RPM all of that time. It started as a 540" and grew into a 555" over the years. Didn't really need to bore it but we were changing pistons so decided might as well.
It's an old Merlin II block. Doesn't even have the extra "inner" head bolt holes like the Bowtie, Dart and newer Merlin's have. The only place that has ever touched the block are the instructors at the SAM School in Houston. It's decked with pistons .009" OUT of the hole. Pistons just barely kiss the heads and leave polish marks.
It's got a Callies Dragonslayer crank which has center counterweights which helps.
ATI damper
The rods are Oliver steels with ARP 625 bolts. Originally had SCAT rods. Nothing wrong with them but I changed them to Oliver's.
Pistons are Diamond 9.0 dished. In the past it's had SRP's and some Mahle's at different times depending on the combo
Rings are currently Speed Pro Hellfire's.
Heads are Brodix "out of the box" CNC 365cc 3xtra ovals. Previously ran some Brodix 2Xtra's that were ported to 377cc.
Stainless valves, titanium retainers.
Cam is currently a small Crane solid roller for turbo use. Previously ran Engle solid roller.
It's got a Jesel Belt Drive- ran it with a $30 Cloyes double roller for years with no issues.
Rockers are Jesel Sportsman Shafts. Ran basic Comp stud mounts with an ancient Moroso one-bar stud girdle for years with no issues.
Oil pan is a Milodon "stepped drag race" pan which is a fantastic pan and key to survival. Simple and works.
Oil pump is basic Melling HV which I tightened up clearances and shimmed spring for more pressure. I like oil pressure.
It's built with main/rod clearances in the .003-.0035" range.
So as you can see...nothing special really in parts....I just spent a lot of time initially putting it together and making sure everything is happy together. It's been the subject of a few magazine articles and lots of dyno testing (hence some parts changes)....but the "simple" low $$$ parts never let me down. Don't have to be fancy...the time and $$ spent on good machine work and careful assembly is what will make them live.
Now hopefully it stays together a little longer!! I've sure been flogging it this year!
JIM
